Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery jumper cable assembly intended to interconnect two or more truck batteries to one another as well as connect such truck batteries to a starter and also to control circuitry in a truck.
A common prior art battery jumper cable assembly for connecting multiple truck batteries is shown in Julian et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,504. The Julian et al. '504 patent shows the use of round, insulated cables which are completely stripped in the area of a battery terminal. A round tube, made of conductive metal such as copper, is then assembled over the stripped area of the round cable, and the tube is flattened on the cable. Thereafter, a hole is punched through the assembled tube and stripped cable portion to receive therethrough a battery stud.
In the foregoing manner, by use of a flattened copper tube applied over a stripped area of insulated, round cable, a battery stud is passed through the hole in the tube thereby creating electrical contact between the battery stud and the flattened, copper tube which in turn is in electrical contact with the stripped portion of the cable. The jumper assembly may be bolted down by means of a bolt applied over the projecting end of the battery stud.
One object of the present invention is to avoid the need for insulated cable which must be stripped of insulation in the area of a terminal connection.
Another object of our invention is to avoid the use of round cable and instead provide a battery jumper cable assembly made from uninsulated, flat, braided cable, thereby avoiding the need for a flattening operation to create a terminal connection, and avoid the need for stripping of insulation.
Another feature of the prior art Julian et al. '504 patent is that such a known system utilizes a common stud for connection with multiple terminals. For example, a stud which is utilized to receive a terminal from a series of batteries is also utilized to receive a terminal on a cable which leads to the truck starter, thereby necessitating the stacking of terminals on a common stud. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, separate studs are provided on the jumper cable assembly for receiving a take-off cable to a truck starter and a take-off cable to control circuitry in a truck, such studs being separate from the connection of the jumper cable assembly to the series of batteries, and thereby avoiding the need to stack terminals.
An important advantage in the use of flat, braided cable for our improved battery jumper cable assembly is that such cable is especially adaptable to permitting vertical shifting of interconnected batteries relative to one another as commonly occurs when a truck is being driven, particularly on a bumpy road. Such flat cable is oriented in a generally horizontal plane to readily accommodate bending as the batteries shift vertically relative to one another.
An important feature of our improved truck battery jumper cable system relates to a generally flat plate which is combined with a section of the flat cable in the area where the jumper assembly is connected to a take-off cable to a truck starter, as well as a separate take-off to control circuitry in a truck, such area including a terminal for connection to one of a plurality of batteries to be interconnected by the jumper cable assembly.
In accordance with the present invention, a battery jumper cable assembly is provided which includes multiple terminals, one for each truck battery to be interconnected, and in addition includes one stud for cooperation with a lead or take-off to the truck starter and another stud for cooperation with a lead or take-off to auxiliary equipment or control circuitry in a truck. The latter two take-off studs are preferably located adjacent to one of the jumper cable terminals which cooperates with a battery stud.
For example, in a preferred embodiment to be described herein, one of the jumper terminals which cooperates with a battery stud has located on one side thereof a take-off stud which cooperates with a lead to such control circuitry, and has located on the other side thereof a stud which cooperates with a lead to a truck starter. In accordance with the invention, the foregoing grouping or cluster of a terminal and two studs is formed by a unique combination of a relatively rigid plate which is affixed to a portion of the length of flat cable to afford important advantages.
According to the present invention, the foregoing flat plate or bracket is assembled onto a length of the flat cable, such as by projecting arms on the plate which are bent around the sides of the cable in secure fashion. The flat plate or bracket is pre-formed with a relatively large central opening or hole to permit a conductive battery post to pass therethrough into face-to-face contact with the flat, braided cable to which the plate is attached.
After assembly of such flat plate or bracket onto the flat cable, a punching operation is carried out to punch three holes. One such hole which is relatively small passes through the flat plate and flat cable to accommodate a stud which cooperates with a take-off cable to the truck control circuitry or accessory equipment. A central hole is punched through the flat cable in the middle of the relatively large plate opening, the purpose being to form a hole in the flat cable to receive therethrough a battery stud associated with the aforementioned battery post. A third hole is punched through the flat plate and flat cable to accommodate a separate stud which cooperates with a take-off cable to a truck starter.
In accordance with a unique feature of the present invention, the stud which cooperates with a take-off to the truck control circuitry and the stud which cooperates with a take-off to the truck starter are each connected to the flat plate or bracket in a manner which prevents rotation of such studs relative to the jumper cable assembly. The foregoing is an important advantage when applying nuts over the studs during the assembly process.
The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of certain preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.